Matthew 27:46, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
This anguishing cry pierces time and eternity. It echoes with a depth of sorrow which no human mind can fully grasp. It was not the physical pain of His torture, nor the mockery of men--but the awful withdrawal of the Father's presence that wrung this cry of torment from the Savior's heart. This was not loss of faith, but the deepest agony of love, deprived of its joy.
Never had the Son known such a moment. From all eternity, He had dwelt in perfect fellowship with the Father--one in essence, joy and will. Yet here, at Calvary's apex, Jesus was forsaken. Not as a sinner, for He was sinless. But as our sin-bearer. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The absolutely Holy One, stood in the place of vile sinners. The Beloved One became accursed, that the cursed ones might become beloved.
In this forsaking, Hell's horror was compressed into a moment--and endured by One Who could not sin and would not turn away. Here we behold the infinite cost of our redemption. Christ endured the wrath of the Father, so that we might have communion with Him. He was abandoned that we might be adopted. He was plunged into darkness so that we could walk in the light of God's favor.
Let us tremble at this dreadful picture. Sin is no light thing. It required the cross. Not moral reformations. Not religious rituals. But the wrath-bearing death of the spotless Lamb. If the Father did not spare His own Son when sin was imputed to Him, then how can any presume to escape judgment apart from Jesus?
Yet let us also adore. For this cry--as agonizing as it was--marks the very foundation of
Sermon Transcript
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Heart Meditations on Arthur Pink's Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross. The Word of Anguish. Matthew 27, verse 46. My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?
This anguishing cry pierces time and eternity. It echoes with a depth of sorrow. which no human mind can fully grasp. It was not the physical pain of His torture, nor the mockery of men, but the awful withdrawal of the Father's presence that wrung this cry of torment from the Savior's heart.
This was not loss of faith, but the deepest agony of love deprived of its joy. Never had the Son known such a moment. From all eternity, He had dwelt in perfect fellowship with the Father, one in essence joy and will.
Yet here at Calvary's apex, Jesus was forsaken, not as a sinner, for He was sinless, but as our sin-bearer. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us. The Absolutely Holy One stood in the place of vile sinners, the beloved one became accursed that the cursed ones might become beloved.
In this forsaking, hell's horror was compressed into a moment and endured by one who could not sin and would not turn away. Here we behold the infinite cost of our redemption. Christ endured the wrath of the Father so that we might have communion with Him. He was abandoned, that we might be adopted. He was plunged into darkness, so that we could walk in the light of God's favor.
Let us tremble at this dreadful picture. Sin is no light thing. It required the cross. Not moral reformations, not religious rituals, but the wrath-bearing death of the spotless Lamb. If the Father did not spare His own Son when sin was imputed to Him, then how can any presume to escape judgment apart from Jesus?
Yet let us also adore, for this cry, as agonizing as it was, marks the very foundation of our salvation. The forsaken Christ opened the way for redeemed sinners to have peace with God. Because He was cast out, we are brought in. His woe secured our welcome.
O believer, if you ever doubt God's love for you, then stand at the cross foot and listen again. My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me? That would have been your cry, but Jesus bore it in your place.
About Arthur W. Pink
Arthur Walkington Pink (1856-1952) was an English Bible teacher who sparked a renewed interest in the exposition of the doctrines of Grace otherwise known as "Calvinism" or "Reformed Theology" in the twentieth century.
Pristine Grace functions as a digital library of preaching and teaching from many different men and ministries. I maintain a broad collection for research, study, and listening, and the presence of any preacher or message here should not be taken as a blanket endorsement of every doctrinal position expressed.
I publish my own convictions openly and without hesitation throughout this site and in my own preaching and writing. This archive is not a denominational clearinghouse. My aim in maintaining it is to preserve historic and contemporary preaching, encourage careful study, and above all direct readers and listeners to the person and work of Christ.
Brandan Kraft
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